Daily Archives: January 13, 2010

IDF Search and Rescue Pictures from India and Kenya

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The IDF Search and Rescue unit has been involved in many rescue missions aborad. Below are photographs from rescue missions in Nairobi, Kenya, January 2006 and Buhj, India January 2001.

Nairobi, Kenya: 24 Januray 2006, a five story building collapsed. Israel sent a team of 80 S&R personnel to assist with the rescue efforts, under the command of Maj. General Yitzhak Gershon, Head of the Home Front Command.

Nairobi, Kenya, January 2006

Nairobi, Kenya, January 2006

Nairobi, Kenya, January 2006

Nairobi, Kenya, January 2006

Nairobi, Kenya, January 2006

In January 2001, a massive earthquake hit western India. Israel sent 5 planes laden with over 65 tons of equipment and aid and 170 S&R personnel. The delegation set up one of the largest field hospitals in Buhj staffed with doctors, nurses, medical assistants and IDF and Magen David Adom paramedics, who treated roughly 1,300 casualties, delivered 12 babies and helped with S&R efforts in the field.

IDF Field Hospital, Buhj, India, January 2001

Surgery in the Field Hospital, Buhj, India, January 2001

IDF Search and Rescue Unit

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The IDF National Search and Rescue Unit, under the Home Front Command, is a highly skilled force trained to execute special search and rescue missions, both in Israel and abroad. The unit was founded in 1983, and its’ expertise is in rescuing people trapped under ruins.

The unit is comprised primarily of reservists who are always on call, with prepared kits to enable immediate departure, and a small core of soldiers in mandatory service. In addition to the rescue teams, the unit employs doctors, engineers, mechanical engineering equipment operators and rescue dog handlers.

In November 2003 the first Search and Rescue Company, the Shavit Company, was founded in response to the need for a large operational S&R force that would be available at all times. Subsequently, two additional companies, Hetz and Rotem, were established. The soldiers are all graduates of the Search and Rescue course, and are trained in first aid, Krav Maga, infantry, ABC (atomic, biological, chemical) warfare, and more.

The unit is on-call 24 hours a day and are deployed whenever there is a disaster – earthquakes, tsunamis, conventional or unconventional terrorist attacks. The S&R companies also assist IDF infantry forces during routine operations.